Synopsis:

Halloween brings more tricks than treats for costume shop owner Margo Tamblyn in the second in a new cozy series from the national bestselling author of the Material Witness Mysteries.

Halloween conjures up big business for Margo Tamblyn’s costume shop, Disguise DeLimit, but this year, the holiday comes knocking with serious trouble. Venture capitalist Paul Haverford plans to rezone historic downtown into a glitzy commercial area which would push out local business. Margo is set on saving her family’s store, especially after a nasty run-in with the chain-store tycoon, but after Haverford’s body is discovered during a spooky party at the derelict Alexandria Hotel, Margo finds herself dressed as the police’s prime suspect.

Anxious to clear her name, Margo begins hunting down anyone who might have wanted Haverford dead. Between all of his malicious maneuverings, the murdered mogul had buckets of people anxious to see him gone. Now, Margo will have to use every trick in the book to find a cloaked killer—before someone else winds up wearing a death shroud…

Halloween is the second most loved holiday in the US for decorations but the TOP holiday for costumes. What better place to celebrate than in a small town where people dress up for all occasions. Can Margo really go home again? She's trying to take care of her father's costume shop at the busiest time of the year and trying to figure out her own life. When she finds out someone wants her to fail, perhaps at both, she has to get her act together.

Author Diane Vallere keeps us guessing, not only about the who dunnit but also about the actions and motivations of a whole host of other characters.Poor Margo is always at the center of the conflicts.Even the people she believes she can depend upon and trust the most have surprises for her.

I enjoyed the spookiness and the strong characters and all the tips I got about pulling together a wonderful haunted celebration of my own!

I’m a former fashion buyer turned mystery writer, trading fashion accessories for accessories to murder. I was bit by the mystery bug as a kid reading Trixie Belden, Connie Blair, and The Three Investigators. Now I’m writing three series: the Style & Error Mysteries, the Mad for Mod Mysteries, and the Material Witness Mysteries.

The Costume Shop mysteries debuted with A DISGUISE TO DIE FOR, which introduces Margo Tamblyn, costume shop owner, who helps solve a murder after one of her clients is found dead at his own costume party (dressed as Sherlock!). MASKING FOR TROUBLE, the second in the series, will be out in October 2016, just in time for Halloween.